To donate specific lots, you should provide the holding firm with your cost basis details when you initiate the transfer of assets.  

If the assets are held at Vanguard, see below for more details. 

Enter your contribution on vanguard.com through the Vanguard Philanthropic Center. If you have elected specific identification for your cost basis method you will be able to select which lots of shares to donate during the contribution process. However, the shares may use average cost, instead of original cost, if they are non-covered or if the shares were purchased prior to an exiting average cost. 

Please refer to vanguard.com to view the basis prior to selecting lots. You can only change the cost basis method through the account maintenance page on vanguard.com. If the position is currently average cost, a nightly cycle is required to update the available lots. 

Instructions are provided on the form if a paper form is used. For contributions entered on vanguardcharitable.org you have three options:

1. Submit a Letter of Authorization. This form includes a place to identify specific lots.
2. Locate a Letter of Authorization. This form requires signatures and dates from all registered owners of the account. If additional pages are needed, all registered owners must sign each page. This form must be received by Vanguard Charitable via email or fax at the time the contribution is entered. 
3. Contact your Vanguard representative when you enter your contribution on the Vanguard Charitable website. You will need the following information during the call:
   • Vanguard account number
   • Mutual fund name or security symbol
   • Date the shares were acquired
   • The quantity of shares and original purchase price 

If you have additional questions regarding cost basis, please contact us.

While donor-advised funds are ineligible to receive direct distributions from IRAs, learn how Vanguard Charitable can accept QCDs as a tax-neutral event. Assets must be claimed as income first and then donated. However, you can donate your RMDs or QCDs to one of Vanguard Charitable’s two mission-driven funds. As mission-driven funds, they are eligible to receive RMDs and QCDs, but you will not have discretion over grants from this fund. Please note this will also result in a tax-neutral event. 

Sustainable Disaster-Relief Fund (SDRF): A mission of providing high-impact aid to people and places at risk of being impacted or already impacted by disasters. It fulfills its mission by supporting disaster preparedness and long-term recovery efforts. 

Philanthropic Impact Fund (PIF): A mission of elevating the philanthropic industry. It works to help donors make informed granting decisions and educate nonprofits on providing effective and efficient solutions to increase capacity and capability. 

Be sure to contact your tax professional to determine if this is the best approach for you.  

Learn more about SDRF and PIF.

Please visit our year-end giving page to see all granting and contribution deadlines for year-end giving.

Our minimum contribution to establish an account is $25,000, and additional contributions have a minimum of $5,000. 

For accounts with less than a $25,000 balance, there is an annual maintenance fee of $250. Accounts are assessed in February on accounts that have been open for more than 6 months. 

Learn how to open a Vanguard Charitable donor-advised fund account. 

Learn how to fund your account. 

Read our Policies & Guidelines.

We keep our fees low so more dollars go to charity. Our industry-low all-in fee is made up of an administrative fee and an investment fee. For more information on our fees, please see our Fees & Minimums page.

Opening your Vanguard Charitable account online can be done in as little as 15 minutes. Follow these instructions.

Click the Open Account button on the upper right corner of the screen. The open account page will slide open. You have two choices: Read through a brief overview of the process or click the Open an Account button to get started right away. 

Once you begin, opening an account takes about 15 minutes. If you need to go back to a previous screen, click on the prior step located on the left side of the page. Using the steps to navigate the process allows you to go back, review or edit the previous screens. 

Please note that you’ll be asked to designate a succession plan for your account. All Vanguard Charitable accounts are required to have a succession plan on file. 

Once the account is opened, you may fund the account immediately. The minimum amount to open an account is $25,000. If you do not fund your account within 90 days of opening your account, you’ll need to create an account again to open your DAF. 

Learn how to fund your account.

Learn about succession planning for your DAF account.

Explore our investment options.

Once you’ve linked your Vanguard and Vanguard Charitable accounts, you can contribute assets held at Vanguard entirely online at vanguard.com. 

You are eligible to contribute online if: 

• You are contributing from an individual, joint or trust account.
• You are an owner or trustee on the Vanguard account.
• All registered owners/trustees have online access to vanguard.com. 

When you’re ready to make a contribution of assets held at Vanguard, follow these steps: 

1. Navigate to the Vanguard Philanthropic Center.
   • If the above hyperlink is unavailable, log in to your Vanguard account, navigate to Documents, Tax Forms & Information, and refer to the Additional Resources section.
2. Select Make a Donation and select your Vanguard Charitable fund.
3. Choose the Vanguard account from which to contribute.
   • If you are contributing for the first time from an account with a joint owner or secondary trustee, the additional party must accept the multiple owner authorization message via their Vanguard secure message center.
4. Select the assets you would like to contribute, then click Next at the bottom of the page.
   • All contributions are required to be recorded in terms of share quantities, and any transfers involving mutual funds or securities must be processed individually.
   • Cost Basis: To edit your cost basis when entering your gift, click the pencil icon beside the Cost Basis indicator. If unavailable, contact Vanguard directly. Changes apply only to this gift and reset to your prior choice the next business day.
5. Select your investment allocation, then click Next at the bottom of the page.
6. Review the details and click Submit. 

Some helpful tips: 

• For cost basis questions, contact Vanguard. You can update your cost basis method permanently online at vanguard.com or by phone.
• If you have questions about the holdings in your Vanguard account, your Vanguard Representative can support you.
• Contributions from Private Foundations or Corporations are not eligible for electronic authorization on vanguard.com but can still be entered on your Vanguard Charitable Donor Portal. 

Learn more about linking your Vanguard and Vanguard Charitable accounts.

Learn how to register your Vanguard Charitable account online.

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account designed exclusively to invest, grow, and give assets to charities for meaningful and lasting impact. 

Here's how it works: 

1. You donate assets into your DAF account. Because Vanguard Charitable is a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to Vanguard Charitable are tax-deductible.
2. Determine an investment allocation for your account. Any growth in your account is tax-free.
3. When you're ready, recommend a grant to a charity you care about, and we take care of the rest.
4. Establish your charitable legacy with a succession plan that reflects your values for years to come. 

Learn how to open a Vanguard Charitable donor-advised fund account.

Learn about the benefits of donor-advised funds.

The quickest way to check a contribution’s status is with your online account. 

1. Log in to your account.
2. On the Contribution Activity page, sort the list of contributions by status or time frame. For additional transaction details, select the view button on the right-hand side of the screen.   

Learn how to register your Vanguard Charitable account for online access.

Vanguard Charitable is a national donor-advised fund sponsor. Founded in 1997 by Vanguard as an independent 501(C)(3) public charity, we are now one of the largest grantmaking organizations in the United States. 

Our mission is to increase philanthropy and maximize its impact over time. To achieve this, we offer the highest-value donor-advised fund (DAF). We specialize in supporting donors who are committed to thoughtful philanthropy with an eye toward making the greatest charitable impact possible.  

Learn more about Vanguard Charitable’s story. 

Learn more about our relationship with Vanguard.

Learn more about donor-advised funds.